Reviews with content warning for Infidelity - Instructions for Dancing

Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon

96 reviews

bekkabergamot's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes

4.0

This book really surprised me; I truly didn't see such a sad ending coming.

One of the things that I enjoyed the most about this book was the way that Evie, a recovering romance book lover, recounts the progression in her relationship with X to the romance novels she used to read. <i>Instructions for Dancing</i> has a ton of fantastic characters, an interesting Fantasy element, and an absolute heartbreaking ending. This book also takes on the heartbreak of a messy divorce between Evie's parents. I have to admit with my own personal history, I found that part to be equally as painful as the shocking conclusion of the book. This is a read for those who can handle some tough subjects in a YA romance.

If you love stories that make you laugh and then make you cry then this is a great book for you!

Content Warnings

literarylaila's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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nataliebootlah's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

“Is love worth the heartbreak and sorrow that can come with it?”

Evie is suddenly cursed with the ability to see the beginning, middle, and end of any couples’ relationship when she witnesses them kiss. It is turning her world sour and discouraging her from feeling things…until she meets X.

Her visions lead her to the La Brea Dance Studio, where she agrees to enter a ballroom dance competition with the beautiful, say “yes” to everything, X. As they twirl around the dance floor hand-in-hand and learn the steps of each new dance, she realizes she’s learning how to feel again.

This book was a cute story that sucked me in. I enjoyed the subtle (and not so subtle) reminders that this is the only life we get. It is full of heartbreak, loss, anger, love, forgiveness, and more.

PS - Isn’t that cover just delightful? 🤩

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martachbc's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

The plots of Nicola Yoon books have never really gripped me. It feels heavily emotional but in that uniquely adolescent way. I just didn’t think that in my 30s, I needed to go there. But I kept hearing such good things about Instructions for Dancing, and the library hold list was surprisingly short.

In Instructions for Dancing, teenaged Evie is reeling from her parents’ divorce following her father’s infidelity and she’s lost faith in love. When a mysterious woman gives her the gift (or curse) of being able to see a couple’s love story when they kiss, it creates some real problems for Evie. She hopes to get rid of the curse by signing up for dance classes, where she meets and instantly connects with X. But because of her visions and her experiences, she thinks all love ends in heartbreak, and she wonders if it’s worth the pain.

Ultimately I enjoyed this more than I thought I was going to. Did I think it was unnecessarily depressing at times? Did the characters (especially X) feel very YA dream types? Yes and yes. But teenagers like that kind of thing, I think. Nicola’s paints deeply layered portraits of her characters in an economy of words, and it’s easy to connect with them, even in their petulant adolescence.

This was a fast, easy, moving read, and I recommend it - even if it’s totally out of my normal comfort zone.

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willreadwhatever's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I cried. It’s fine. Such a good book. So well written and relatable. Love it

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vicariouslyy's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

“If I’d known it was going to be a last time, I’d have memorised all the details. All I remember now are the probablys.”

This book was beautiful and it hurt my heart. Curse you Nicola Yoon 😭 Evie is still reeling from her parents divorce & her fathers infidelity when she is “cursed” by an older woman at a Little Library. The “curse” allows Evie to see the past, present, and future of other people’s relationships. In her attempt to get rid of the curse, Evie ends up at La Brea Dance Studios where she runs into X. X is so charming and free spirited, he brings out the joy Evie had thought she lost and throughout the story we see how they both push one another to reflect & grow.

The ending absolutely broke my heart. I know they were young, but I truly wanted to see them last together or at the very least, not know their future. However, X passing made Evies growth & the ending of this novel so much more profound and impactful for me. Its hours later and my heart still hurts.

Overall, I absolutely adored this book & I know this is a story that will stick with me for a long time.

Content Warnings